The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-10-13

sells and matrons. He much preferret
those performances in which profession
al actresses we're not engaged. Thes.
last were 50 business like, 50 matter o
fact; they had none Of tn,
flattering self-conscious shynes
Of amatuer engaged in !.
love-scene with Capt. Vernon. Be
sides, half the fun Of the thing lay II
meeting your stage inamorata after
ward at the houses Of friends, in thu
park, or ut theaters, where, when I
piece they know is performed, amateurs
are wont to congregate to deplors the
traces Of insufficient rehearsal, the stag
mess, or the vulgaritY Of professions
performers
Into this society pretty Mrs. bearing
was how plunged. At first she threw
herself heartily into her parts, being
filled with vague dreams Of future fame
and fortune for herself and Tom when,
her genius conquering all prejudice,
she should be snapped up" by Lon
don manager, as, according to amateur
tradition, frequently happened to their
most promising members.
The amateurs, men and women, took
to Mrs. bearing. The women petted
and patronized her, and the men would
have gladly paid her considerable at
tention had not Capt. Vernon monopo-
lized her entirely from the first moment
of his Introduction to her. He had
constant opportunities Of meeting her;
for the amateur season WAS on, and the
members Of three or four other clubs
were glad to avail themselves Of Mrs.
bearings services on Capt. Vernon's
introduction. The married women
..assisting" them, finding that the best
bait BY which to lire the handsome and
MISUNDERSTANDING Capt. Vernon to
their Eat homes" was tho presence oil
"pretty Mrs. bearing" invited them
both constantly. Soon Marion's head
became filled by confused phantasma-
goria, in which diamond earrings. plush
hangings, tropical plants, and cham
payne luncheons surrounded our CEN
trail figure-a tall, dark man, with bold
eyes and gentle manners, whose voice
saying al sorts Of things she ought not
to listen to-form running accom-
paniment to her dreams.
Meanwhile Tom was delighted to find
how amiable and contcnted his wife had
become, and how entirely she had relin-
pushed all notion Of going on tho stage.
She certainly required moro pocket
money than before; but, as she explain
ed, she must dress we'll when Mrs. Car
ington took her for drives. Tom ar
ranged to do some extra work in the
city, and was frequently detained there
until past 8 o'clock. On his return. il
she was not "playing for charities" he
would find her bright and affectionatc,
il sometimes little restless in manner.
She would wait upon him for dinner
with a coquettish charm new to her, and
when he sat by the fire afterward would
cling round him and gaze into his COM
monplaee countenance with . wistful-
ness in her eyes he did not understand.
And her husband remembering how
comparatively cold and passive she had
formerly been toward him decided that
little harmless excitment was evident.
" what she required, and often called
down blessings on amateur theatricali
in general, and the Macrcady Club in
particular.
At last one morning, rather more
than year after Mrs. bearings intro.
duction to the amateur stage, she in.
formed her husband that she had been
asked to play the principal part in the
performances at Richmond in aid Of
..some charity" What particular
charity she could not say; but hers was
an ignorance shared by most Of the
amatuers. These little periodical trip:
into the environs of London with Q
party Of friends were, however, much
in vogue with the Macrcadys, and i
could at least be fairly said that there
was quite rs much charity rs there was
art in their performances.
THE change will do you good, ! dare
say" Tom said to his wife. ~ she
helped him on with his great coat and
carefully avoided meeting his eye. "You
have been looking rather pale lately.
shant be back from the city until s or
Tuesday; but after dinner I'll run down
to Richmond and bring you homo"
mo, don't do that, she said, look
ing up quickly. while the blood sudden.
" rushed to her face. my part j.
over soon, and we begin SO early !
shall b homo before IL. Mrs. Caring
ton Is going to drive me back in bel
brougham."
Marion told falsehoods very badly
but it did not occur to her husband t.
doubt her, and . sharp pang Of remorse
shot through her AS she saw how easy il
was to deceive him. She stood watch
ing his somewhat stout, thick-set figure
from the open door as he passed down
the street, thinking how kind he was,
but yet how badly his clothes fitted him
compared with those Of Capt. Vernon.
Tuesday, fixed for the Richmond
performance, came in due course, and
SO excited was Marion. presumably
over her part. that she lay awake cry
ing all night, and came to breakfast SC
white and red-eyed that Tom woult
certainly have remarked it but for thu
fact that the kidneys were 30 badly
cooked he could think and speak o
nothing else.
Soon after 8 o'clock that evening b.
returned and WAS sitting down to hi
solitary dinner. when tho POSTWAR
brought letter directed to Tom Dear
ing in woman's hand quite unfamiliar
| to him.
He opened It curiously, and hat
scarcely read it through when he leapet
from his chair with face A. pale q
Marion's had been when he had takel
leave Of her that morning.
Tho letter was signed" Adela Yer
non." and the writer. who stated tina,
she was Capt. Vcrnon's wife. living
apart from him on account of his mis-
conduct. bitterly reproached Mr.. Dear
ing for his folly in allowing his vito b
publicly known a. Capt. Vernon's mis-
tress.
/ Uysshs.n 40 lo~~ - ~~>l:-~ Il IT,